The Executive Chairman, Edo State Internal Revenue Service (EIRS) has revealed that that though the 2017 budget estimate was put at about one hundred and fifty billion naira (N150b), the EIRS was expected to raise about N30.3b in the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) for government to be able to carry out its obligations.
Speaking with newsmen shortly after Governor Godwin Obaseki presented the 2017 budget to legislators at the Edo State House of Assembly for scrutiny and assent, Chief Elamah stated that the budget estimate approved for 2016 which was coming to a close was put at twenty-five billion naira (N25b) which as at the end of November, the EIRS was able to generate about N22.3b which made the present N30.3b for the incoming year attainable, due to the reform in IGR.
Speaking on the new reforms, the revenue boss stated that from 2017, the issue of consultants, agents or contractors collecting revenue on behalf of government would be a fore closed issue as only authorized officers would man various revenue points and they would not collect cash but use the various electronic means available with receipt generated instantly.
Approved means he said would be through the use of Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards.
With the automation process, he noted that that the EIRS would be able to monitor collection of taxes even at interior locations of Edo State and at the end of the day such revenue would be swept into the Treasury Single Account (TSA) to have an accurate account and be able to evaluate performance on a real time online basis, he stated.
Stating that government was going into the next phase of full implementation of the IGR reforms starting from January 2017, with the use of TSA which would ensure that all revenues meant for government are put into a single account which government can easily access and determine what revenue is accruable to government, he said.
Elamah also informed that the state government will also kick start the automation process and procedures with the billing system which would enable government know at what point in time the correct revenue ought to be collected which would spur government at putting necessary machinery in place to actualize what is obtainable and collectible in a manner that is transparent and accountable which is in line with the philosophy of the budget that the governor presented.